I have a stacktrace that I am stumped on, because I cannot reproduce it locally. If I deploy the same .war of my grails app to a local instance of Tomcat 7, everything works. If I deploy it to AWS Elastic beanstalk, I get the exception when trying to save an object (I am using the http://grails.org/plugin/simpledb plugin to save objects to SimpleDB). Could it be a java version, given that beanstalk linux runs OpenJDK (locally I am developing on a Mac with normal Java)? I have tried launching both 32bit and 64bit instances.

java.lang.NullPointerException
at com.sun.beans.TypeResolver.resolve(TypeResolver.java:321)
at com.sun.beans.TypeResolver.resolve(TypeResolver.java:157)
at com.sun.beans.TypeResolver.resolveInClass(TypeResolver.java:78)
at java.beans.FeatureDescriptor.getReturnType(FeatureDescriptor.java:368)
at java.beans.Introspector.getTargetEventInfo(Introspector.java:1020)
at java.beans.Introspector.getBeanInfo(Introspector.java:424)
at java.beans.Introspector.getBeanInfo(Introspector.java:189)
at groovy.lang.MetaClassImpl$15.run(MetaClassImpl.java:2940)
at java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Native Method)
at groovy.lang.MetaClassImpl.addProperties(MetaClassImpl.java:2938)
at groovy.lang.MetaClassImpl.initialize(MetaClassImpl.java:2921)
at groovy.lang.ExpandoMetaClass.initialize(ExpandoMetaClass.java:463)
at org.codehaus.groovy.reflection.ClassInfo.getMetaClassUnderLock(ClassInfo.java:166)
at org.codehaus.groovy.reflection.ClassInfo.getMetaClass(ClassInfo.java:182)
at org.codehaus.groovy.runtime.metaclass.MetaClassRegistryImpl.getMetaClass(MetaClassRegistryImpl.java:210)
at org.codehaus.groovy.runtime.InvokerHelper.getMetaClass(InvokerHelper.java:751)
at groovy.lang.GroovyObjectSupport.<init>(GroovyObjectSupport.java:32)
at groovy.lang.Closure.<init>(Closure.java:100)
at org.grails.datastore.gorm.GormInstanceApi$_save_closure4.<init>(GormInstanceApi.groovy)
at org.grails.datastore.gorm.GormInstanceApi.save(GormInstanceApi.groovy:145)
at org.grails.datastore.gorm.GormInstanceApi$save.callCurrent(Unknown Source)
at org.codehaus.groovy.runtime.callsite.CallSiteArray.defaultCallCurrent(CallSiteArray.java:44)
at org.codehaus.groovy.runtime.callsite.AbstractCallSite.callCurrent(AbstractCallSite.java:141)
at org.codehaus.groovy.runtime.callsite.AbstractCallSite.callCurrent(AbstractCallSite.java:153)
at org.grails.datastore.gorm.GormInstanceApi.save(GormInstanceApi.groovy:105)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:57)
at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:43)
at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:616)
at org.codehaus.groovy.reflection.CachedMethod.invoke(CachedMethod.java:90)
at groovy.lang.MetaMethod.doMethodInvoke(MetaMethod.java:233)
at groovy.lang.MetaClassImpl.invokeMethod(MetaClassImpl.java:1058)
at groovy.lang.ExpandoMetaClass.invokeMethod(ExpandoMetaClass.java:1070)
at groovy.lang.MetaClassImpl.invokeMethod(MetaClassImpl.java:886)
at org.codehaus.groovy.runtime.InvokerHelper.invokePogoMethod(InvokerHelper.java:793)
at org.codehaus.groovy.runtime.InvokerHelper.invokeMethod(InvokerHelper.java:776)
at org.codehaus.groovy.runtime.ScriptBytecodeAdapter.invokeMethodN(ScriptBytecodeAdapter.java:163)
at org.grails.datastore.gorm.InstanceMethodInvokingClosure.call(GormEnhancer.groovy:241)
at org.codehaus.groovy.runtime.metaclass.ClosureStaticMetaMethod.invoke(ClosureStaticMetaMethod.java:59)
at org.codehaus.groovy.runtime.callsite.PogoMetaMethodSite$PogoMetaMethodSiteNoUnwrapNoCoerce.invoke(PogoMetaMethodSite.java:307)
at org.codehaus.groovy.runtime.callsite.PogoMetaMethodSite.call(PogoMetaMethodSite.java:63)
at org.codehaus.groovy.runtime.callsite.CallSiteArray.defaultCall(CallSiteArray.java:40)
at org.codehaus.groovy.runtime.callsite.AbstractCallSite.call(AbstractCallSite.java:116)
at org.codehaus.groovy.runtime.callsite.AbstractCallSite.call(AbstractCallSite.java:120)
at photoprototype.FileUploadTestController$_closure2.doCall(FileUploadTestController.groovy:39)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:57)
at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:43)
at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:616)
at org.codehaus.groovy.runtime.callsite.PogoMetaMethodSite$PogoCachedMethodSite.invoke(PogoMetaMethodSite.java:225)
at org.codehaus.groovy.runtime.callsite.PogoMetaMethodSite.callCurrent(PogoMetaMethodSite.java:51)
at org.codehaus.groovy.runtime.callsite.CallSiteArray.defaultCallCurrent(CallSiteArray.java:44)
at org.codehaus.groovy.runtime.callsite.AbstractCallSite.callCurrent(AbstractCallSite.java:141)
at org.codehaus.groovy.runtime.callsite.AbstractCallSite.callCurrent(AbstractCallSite.java:149)
at photoprototype.FileUploadTestController$_closure2.doCall(FileUploadTestController.groovy)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:57)
at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:43)
at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:616)
at org.codehaus.groovy.reflection.CachedMethod.invoke(CachedMethod.java:90)
at groovy.lang.MetaMethod.doMethodInvoke(MetaMethod.java:233)
at groovy.lang.MetaClassImpl.invokeMethod(MetaClassImpl.java:1058)
at groovy.lang.ExpandoMetaClass.invokeMethod(ExpandoMetaClass.java:1070)
at groovy.lang.MetaClassImpl.invokeMethod(MetaClassImpl.java:886)
at groovy.lang.Closure.call(Closure.java:282)
at groovy.lang.Closure.call(Closure.java:277)
at org.codehaus.groovy.grails.web.servlet.mvc.SimpleGrailsControllerHelper.handleAction(SimpleGrailsControllerHelper.java:368)
at org.codehaus.groovy.grails.web.servlet.mvc.SimpleGrailsControllerHelper.executeAction(SimpleGrailsControllerHelper.java:232)
at org.codehaus.groovy.grails.web.servlet.mvc.SimpleGrailsControllerHelper.handleURI(SimpleGrailsControllerHelper.java:190)
at org.codehaus.groovy.grails.web.servlet.mvc.SimpleGrailsControllerHelper.handleURI(SimpleGrailsControllerHelper.java:129)
at org.codehaus.groovy.grails.web.servlet.mvc.SimpleGrailsController.handleRequest(SimpleGrailsController.java:73)
at org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.SimpleControllerHandlerAdapter.handle(SimpleControllerHandlerAdapter.java:48)
at org.codehaus.groovy.grails.web.servlet.GrailsDispatcherServlet.doDispatch(GrailsDispatcherServlet.java:292)
at org.springframework.web.servlet.DispatcherServlet.doService(DispatcherServlet.java:719)
at org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet.processRequest(FrameworkServlet.java:644)
at org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet.doPost(FrameworkServlet.java:560)
at javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:641)
at javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:722)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:304)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:210)
at org.springframework.web.filter.OncePerRequestFilter.doFilter(OncePerRequestFilter.java:70)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:243)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:210)
at org.springframework.web.filter.OncePerRequestFilter.doFilter(OncePerRequestFilter.java:70)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:243)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:210)
at org.springframework.web.filter.OncePerRequestFilter.doFilter(OncePerRequestFilter.java:70)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:243)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:210)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationDispatcher.invoke(ApplicationDispatcher.java:684)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationDispatcher.processRequest(ApplicationDispatcher.java:471)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationDispatcher.doForward(ApplicationDispatcher.java:402)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationDispatcher.forward(ApplicationDispatcher.java:329)
at org.codehaus.groovy.grails.web.util.WebUtils.forwardRequestForUrlMappingInfo(WebUtils.java:298)
at org.codehaus.groovy.grails.web.util.WebUtils.forwardRequestForUrlMappingInfo(WebUtils.java:264)
at org.codehaus.groovy.grails.web.util.WebUtils.forwardRequestForUrlMappingInfo(WebUtils.java:255)
at org.codehaus.groovy.grails.web.mapping.filter.UrlMappingsFilter.doFilterInternal(UrlMappingsFilter.java:183)
at org.springframework.web.filter.OncePerRequestFilter.doFilter(OncePerRequestFilter.java:76)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:243)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:210)
at org.codehaus.groovy.grails.web.sitemesh.GrailsPageFilter.obtainContent(GrailsPageFilter.java:245)
at org.codehaus.groovy.grails.web.sitemesh.GrailsPageFilter.doFilter(GrailsPageFilter.java:134)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:243)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:210)
at org.codehaus.groovy.grails.web.servlet.mvc.GrailsWebRequestFilter.doFilterInternal(GrailsWebRequestFilter.java:69)
at org.springframework.web.filter.OncePerRequestFilter.doFilter(OncePerRequestFilter.java:76)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:243)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:210)
at org.codehaus.groovy.grails.web.filters.HiddenHttpMethodFilter.doFilterInternal(HiddenHttpMethodFilter.java:65)
at org.springframework.web.filter.OncePerRequestFilter.doFilter(OncePerRequestFilter.java:76)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:243)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:210)
at org.springframework.web.filter.CharacterEncodingFilter.doFilterInternal(CharacterEncodingFilter.java:88)
at org.springframework.web.filter.OncePerRequestFilter.doFilter(OncePerRequestFilter.java:76)
at org.springframework.web.filter.DelegatingFilterProxy.invokeDelegate(DelegatingFilterProxy.java:237)
at org.springframework.web.filter.DelegatingFilterProxy.doFilter(DelegatingFilterProxy.java:167)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:243)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:210)
at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardWrapperValve.invoke(StandardWrapperValve.java:224)
at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContextValve.invoke(StandardContextValve.java:169)
at org.apache.catalina.authenticator.AuthenticatorBase.invoke(AuthenticatorBase.java:472)
at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardHostValve.invoke(StandardHostValve.java:168)
at org.apache.catalina.valves.ErrorReportValve.invoke(ErrorReportValve.java:100)
at org.apache.catalina.valves.RemoteIpValve.invoke(RemoteIpValve.java:681)
at org.apache.catalina.valves.AccessLogValve.invoke(AccessLogValve.java:929)
at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardEngineValve.invoke(StandardEngineValve.java:118)
at org.apache.catalina.connector.CoyoteAdapter.service(CoyoteAdapter.java:405)
at org.apache.coyote.http11.AbstractHttp11Processor.process(AbstractHttp11Processor.java:964)
at org.apache.coyote.AbstractProtocol$AbstractConnectionHandler.process(AbstractProtocol.java:515)
at org.apache.tomcat.util.net.JIoEndpoint$SocketProcessor.run(JIoEndpoint.java:302)
at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:1110)
at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:603)
at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:636)

1 Answer
1

After much headbanging I came across this thread and it solved all my problems. All the elasticbeanstalk images use OpenJDK, which has issues with Groovy 1.7.8 (and other things, I found after just trying to upgrade Groovy).

Once I swapped out OpenJDK with Sun's (errm make that Oracle's), it all worked. I created a custom AMI from my image once I did this so I could re-use it. I hope this helps someone else.